Blistering heat sears Western US

June 30, 2013

Experts offer steps you can take to stay safe as temperatures rise.

(HealthDay)—Temperatures topping 110 and even 120 degrees Fahrenheit have much of the American West sweltering this weekend, and health officials are warning that people must do what they can to stay cool as the heat wave continues.

Temperatures in California's Death Valley hit 122 degrees by 4 p.m. Saturday and could approach 130 degrees on Sunday. Baker, Calif., in the Mojave Desert between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, was baking under 120 degree temperatures, and Palm Springs residents saw the thermometer soar to 122 degrees. In Los Angeles County a record temperature of 111 was recorded at Lancaster Fox Field, CBS/Associated Press reported.

One man in Las Vegas died due to heat-related causes and another was hospitalized Saturday, authorities said. In both cases the men were found without working air conditioning.

The heat wave will ebb slowly and is expected to last for the next few days, meteorologists said, and will also hit Utah, Wyoming and other western states, CBS/Associated Press reported.

Health experts said there are key steps everyone can take to minimize their risk from extreme heat.

One essential step: Check up on elderly or ill relatives living on their own.

"Due to various reasons, the elderly are prone to suffer from the extreme heat," said Dr. Salvatore Pardo, associate chairman of the emergency department at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

"It is vital for loved ones and friendly neighbors to enter the home and make sure they have functioning air conditioning or access to a cool environment—for example, a cooling center, senior center, public shopping mall—during extreme heat events," he said. "This should be done at the beginning, during, and after the extreme heat event."

Keeping the shades drawn in the daytime can keep homes cooler, he said, and "if you live in a split-level home, stay downstairs. Heat rises, so upstairs will always be hotter than your living room. Open windows upstairs if you have no air conditioning to keep the room cool and have a fan blowing."

Alcoholic beverages dehydrate, so stick to water or beverages without alcohol, lots of sugar or caffeine, Ammazzalorso said. Wear light, light-colored and loose clothing to stay cooler.

"Let the children play outside in the early morning or early evening when the air quality is at a healthier level and the temperatures are cooler," he added. "Head to a local swimming pool or beach to cool off, but never swim alone and be sure to observe all posted swimming advisories."

According to Ammazzalorso, signs of heat exhaustion include skin that is cool, moist and pale but may look flushed at times. Dizziness or fainting, nausea or vomiting, fatigue and headache are also potential signs of heat exhaustion.

Signs of an even more serious condition known as heat stroke include red, hot and dry skin, high body temperatures (105 degrees or above), a rapid and weak pulse, rapid and shallow breathing, and changes in consciousness. In these cases, 911 should be dialed immediately, Ammazzalorso said.

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I believe it's not so much a weather event in isolation that can be attributed, but rather the frequency of them compared to decades ago. The scary thing is that Anthropogenic Climate Change is just in its infancy given that global temps have only increased on average by 0.7'C odd so far.

So I did quick google search on the hottest records for Phoenix Arizona. Interesting data. Here are the records.

122°F on June 26, 1990;

121°F on July 28, 1995;

120°F on June 25, 1990;

119°F on June 29, 2013;

118°F on July 16, 1925; June 24, 1929; July 11, 1958; July 4, 1989; June 27, 1990; June 28, 1990; July 27, 1995; July 21, 2006; July 2, 2011.

Interesting right???? - the top 4 hottest records in Phoenix - all occurred in the last 23 years. Now I would not have mentioned just one city - like Phoenix - it is not to scientific, but I figure if one person can use anecdotal - it is fair game...

On the Phoenix data - I also just noticed - that the 5th hottest record (118 degrees F) has occurred 9 times in the record - and six of those 9 times all occurred in the last 24 years. That means that of the 13 occurrences of hottest temps - 10 occurred in the past 24 years - sure sounds like a warming trend to me...

@djr: How long the record is would probably interest people as well. (1896-2010) looks like the range. So... 76% of highest heat records in Phoenix were set in the last 24 years of it's 114 year temperature history.

"But the AGWites say the solution is SOO simple. Socialize the world to stop CO2 being produced by humans."

As usual - the generalizations put out by people who have the analysis of a 2 year old are meaningless. We still are in very early days of even understanding the climate. It is important to continue studying the climate - and it totally makes sense to me to look for win/win solutions such as developing non polluting energy sources (unless you like Exon Valdiz, tar sand level destruction, Deep Horizon, Beijing level pollution etc.) Thanks to the brilliant work of our engineers - wind power is now down to an unsubsidized 5 - 7 cents per Kwh - http://cleantechn...-part-3/ and it will keep going down. So the smart people continue to do science - and innovating - and the 2 year olds just put out meaningless shit - to try keeping us in the dark ages - sickening.

There certainly seems to be a lot of this kind of Blistering heat these days.

More frequent and more probable as every year passes.

Watts up with that?

This is how ice ages begin. See, it gets really hot in the tropics, causing all this evaporation, which forms all these clouds, which move up north and begin dumping megatons of snow forever. And voila! Snowball earth and mastodons.

Of course, one blistering heat wave means nothing, but if it repeats every year, then we should consider the wider connections, like the climatic change. Whether it's caused with anthropogenic emissions is indeed a quite different question. I would rather point to another, more practical connections.

Apparently then, you've never lived there. There's nothing unusual about this heatwave. It's only news because the AGWites are desperate for headlines.

Yea that's it! Nothing to do with record high temperatures for days in a row! No, its because some nebulous entity is trying to generate false headlines so they can, erm, do something, um bad. Yea that's it!

Apparently then, you've never lived there. There's nothing unusual about this heatwave. It's only news because the AGWites are desperate for headlines.

Yea that's it! Nothing to do with record high temperatures for days in a row! No, its because some nebulous entity is trying to generate false headlines so they can, erm, do something, um bad. Yea that's it!

Whether you believe it or not, it's true. The temperatures aren't that unusual. It's mostly a semi-arid desert region.

"According to the Western Regional Climate Center, in Arizona "high temperatures are common throughout the summer at the lower elevations and temperatures over 125 degrees F have been observed in the desert area." - http://www.climas...p-precip

Listen to yourself you idiot!!!

You should try reading your posts out loud, or have someone read them to you. You are very abrasive.

On the Phoenix data - I also just noticed - that the 5th hottest record (118 degrees F) has occurred 9 times in the record - and six of those 9 times all occurred in the last 24 years. That means that of the 13 occurrences of hottest temps - 10 occurred in the past 24 years - sure sounds like a warming trend to me...

Yep, that's conclusive, that be global warming right there and it all happened in the last 24 years.Whether or not there is a AGW is irrelevant. What matters is the belief.

On the Phoenix data - I also just noticed - that the 5th hottest record (118 degrees F) has occurred 9 times in the record - and six of those 9 times all occurred in the last 24 years. That means that of the 13 occurrences of hottest temps - 10 occurred in the past 24 years - sure sounds like a warming trend to me...

Yep, that's conclusive, that be global warming right there and it all happened in the last 24 years.Whether or not there is a AGW is irrelevant. What matters is the belief.

You lack the humour to be entertaining, the knowledge to be informative, and have all the charm and attraction of a deceased rat which suffered from leprosy and incontinence.

There certainly seems to be a lot of this kind of Blistering heat these days.

More frequent and more probable as every year passes.

Watts up with that?

This is how ice ages begin. See, it gets really hot in the tropics, causing all this evaporation, which forms all these clouds, which move up north and begin dumping megatons of snow forever. And voila! Snowball earth and mastodons.

It happens really quick too, like 3 months or something.

That's why you see signs of recent glaciers on Al Gore's secret tropical paradise island (the one with his volcano HQ). Mastodons rising from the grave. Zombie cave bears too. Heck, it might even happen the day after tomorrow...